Ikea Hacked Standing Desk

For weeks, I’ve been looking at various ideas for “hacking” a standing desk to add to my standard office desk, and last week I finally did it! I didn’t use the LACK table idea because I’m barely 5’5″ and it would be too tall. Instead I took two EKBY MOSSBY stainless steel shelves and added CAPITA stainless legs to make the platforms for the screen and the keyboard. (I used these shelves because the steel is wrapped around all four edges, whereas the wood shelves are unfinished on one long side and I didn’t want to paint).

The taller shelf measures 46 7/8″ x 11″ to which I added four 8″ CAPITA legs and the keyboard rests on the 31 1/8″ x 7 1/2″ shelf plus four 4″ legs. It’s sturdy and sharp looking. Now I just need to get the cushioned mat to stand on and I’ll be set. Love it!

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13 Responses to Ikea Hacked Standing Desk

This looks awesome but I’m still a little confused about how you attached the legs. In looking at the Capita legs on IKEA, it looks like they attach to a platform you then need to screw into the surface they support. Assuming you didn’t drive any screws into the aluminum shelves, did you just glue them down? Or are there screw holes on the bottom of the shelf where they can be attached?
Thanks!

It’s been four months since I started using this desk, and now I can’t imagine going back to sitting for long periods. I actually feel much more productive. I’ve not suffered any wrist discomfort, though I did bring in an extra pair of super comfy and supportive shoes (a pair of Merrell slip on’s) to don on days when fashion dictates I wear shoes not conducive to all-day standing.

As someone who hacked a standing desk myself, I will say, there’s going to be discomfort with any sit to stand conversion for the first few weeks. I found the greatest discomfort for about the first 3 weeks and mostly in the calves, but the ability to move helps (and of course you can stretch). I have no “ergo wrist support”, I don’t think you need it. I certainly don’t. If you have the keyboard at a height that your hands can fall onto, with your elbows and shoulders in relatively comfortable positions you’ll be fine. My recommendation is to experiment with what is a comfortable height for you by resting your keyboard on some reams of A4/letter where you can elevate or lower the height over time. Once you find something that is very comfortable, test it for a week or two before locking in your fixed height shelf for the keyboard.

The only problem is, you cannot rest your wrist holding the mouse or while typing. If you spend any significant amount of time working by this desk you are tunning the risk of developing some health problems with your hands or wrists. Otherwise it’s cool.

It’s actually very comfortable. I’ve finally got the ergonomic cushion to stand on and a “saddle seat” stool that I can raise up and down when I want to sit. As for my arms – for me it works just fine.

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